


The Game of Life

by Alys_Gay_Parade



Series: Rejuvination [2]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Lots of fucked up shit, i'm warning you all now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 04:50:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6038715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alys_Gay_Parade/pseuds/Alys_Gay_Parade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of death and in life up ahead, a poison Ivy grows and fills one with dread. Let it be told by the roll of a die, if in this life you're true, or in this life you lie. For the truth can be clouded by death and despair, and sometimes the lies can show that you care. Be true to yourself, that's all you can do. For truth unto others is death unto you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nostalgia

**Author's Note:**

> I hate myself. I didn’t want to do this, but I miss writing my shitty ass OC. Well, I’m dragging you all down with me. Besides, this is easier for me than doing a fucking video. YAY, PREPARE FOR BACKSTORIES. Be warned, this is a sequel to my fic “The Woes of Youth”. SO READ THAT FIRST. NONE OF THIS WILL MAKE ANY SENSE.

_Bill paced his now permanent domain, rage flowing through him. He looked to the hunk of gold that had banished him here. Its shine seemed to mock him, and he picked it up. His grip tight, the triangle chucked the clasp wit all of his strength, only for it to stop a foot away from him and start glowing. A figure began to take shape around it until Laiqualassiel’s astral form stood there, the clasp where it should be. “What do you want, you little-” “Save the insults, Cipher.” Her voice was soft and calm, as if she were talking to an old friend. She hovered in a sitting position, giving him an almost expectant look. “Well? This is your home, not mine. Show some hospitality.” Bill begrudgingly summoned a table and tea set for them, looking like an irritated child._

“ _I still don’t get why you even bother talking to me.” The elf let out a slight chuckle. “Bill, every incarnation is the same. I worship you, I find out the truth, and you end up killing me. But I just want you to know this. With this series of events, it ends. You have lost. You’re stuck here, and you can’t hurt that dimension any more.” She picked up her tea and sipped at it. “To be honest, I’ve known you so long, it would be impossible to not speak to you.” She smiled slightly, seeing how flustered and irritated her long time frienemy was. “Oh, are you upset because I finally learned how to stop playing the hero and let somebody else steal the spotlight?” Bill let his cup clink against the table, growling._

“ _We had a deal, Laiqualassiel. We had a deal since your first life.” Laiqualassiel let out a hearty laugh. “We did, and I found a loophole. Don’t worry. In the end, we both win.” They continued their tea party in silence._

Stan was laying in his bed and groaning, waiting for life to just be over. How long has it been since Ivy died? Oh, right. A year an a half. At least when Dipper and Mabel were there on break, they made things brighter. Those two were so kind to him and made him feel like he was worth something. Of course, Ford and Fidds tried to help, too. But lately, Stan’s demeanor was irreversible. He often told them to not focus on him and to just work on their relationship. He didn’t really want the attention. He just wished there was a way to end the misery he felt.

He decided to get up and go get something to eat, the first thing he’d eaten all day. The sun was beginning to set, and when he walked into the living room, the two pairs of eyes that lived there were on him. “Lee, you okay? You look… more upset than usual.” Fiddleford winced at Ford’s choice of words as the expression on Stan’s face fell even further. “Well, at least you acknowledge that I haven’t been happy. I’m just hungry, that’s all.” The adults gave Stan a worried look as he trudged past them and into the kitchen.

“He’s been getting worse,” Ford said quietly, looking to the sad look on Fiddleford’s face. “I’ve noticed. Ford, I’ve been thinking… have you thought about putting him in therapy?” The option that Fiddleford suggested caused Ford to cast him an almost offended expression. “Are you saying I’m doing a poor job of helping him?” Ford’s question came out more defensive than he’d intended, and when he saw the slightly frightened look on Fiddleford’s face he instantly softened the expression on his face and looked down. “Oh, who am I kidding? I’m terrible at this.” Fidds took Ford’s hand, gently playing with his fingers as he sat lost in thought. Ever since that fateful day, Stanley had looked worse every day, despite how much they coddled him. For the first few months, they would shower him with gifts and just laze with him, acting like a family should. But as time went on, his depression had become harder and harder to quell. “You aren’t terrible at helping him. I just think that he’s reached a point where we can’t do it alone anymore.”

Ford kept his gaze to the ground and let the tears well up freely. It hurt him to see his brother like this. More than it used to. Maybe because Stan was just a kid now, and kids shouldn’t feel like he does. But he found himself choking back sobs as he thought about how much he’s failed Stanley through their lives. Fiddleford just lightly hugged him and sighed. “Ford, I know how you feel about therapists and guidance counselors. They never help.” He just carefully brushed away Ford’s tears, giving a gaze so full of love that he felt he might float away. “To be honest, it was stupid of me to suggest it. How could anybody but us help him? Nobody would understand, and that’s what he needs. Is understanding.” Ford sucked up his sadness and tried to give a look of hope. He had to believe that they could help Stan.

Stan just stood in front of the open fridge, expression blank. Memories of Ivy’s laugh and smile filled his brain. In the short time that she had stayed with them, they had grown so close. And that relationship was abruptly cut. His grip on the fridge handle tightened, depression melting into insatiable rage. Remembering Bill’s condescending laugh and belittling comments made him want to just punch somebody. He fixed himself a sandwich, eating it aggressively as he passed his brother and the in law. He ignored their worried glances. It took every ounce of self control he had to not slam his bedroom door, and he flopped onto his bed, letting an angry scream into his pillow. His scream soon turned into heavy sobs. Eventually, he sat up from his tear stained pillow and looked around. Memories began to spring up again, and he was watching the scene from an outside perspective.

“ _This is my room, Ivy! You’ll be sharing with me.”_ _Stan walked into the room, holding Ivy’s hand. She gazed around in wonder, smiling, before looking perplexed. “There’s only one bed.” Stan waved off her concern and pulled out extra bedding. “You can sleep in my bed. I’ll sleep on the floor.” Ivy gave him a worried expression and he stopped to look at her, oblivious. “What?” She timidly looked down, blushing slightly. “I know sleeping on the ground can be uncomfortable. If you find you can’t handle the floor, I wouldn’t mind sharing the bed with you.” Stan blushed lightly, laughing nervously. “Ha, nice one. But I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. I mean, that would be weird, and awkward, right? You’re my friend.” Ivy giggled, blushing harder. “Yeah. Friends.”_

“ _Your niece is really nice. I like the sweater she knitted for me.” Stan only laughed, finishing his bed on the floor. “I know, she’s the best. I’m glad she’s my family. She probably the sweetest and kindest person I know.” They laid down to sleep for the night, and Stanley noticed that Ivy was tossing and turning a lot. “Hey, Ivy, you alright?” She sighed and sat up, looking uncomfortable. “I’ve never slept easily.” Stan pondered for a moment before looking to his side. “Here.” He handed her the teddy bear that Ford had given him. “I know that it’s helped me. Maybe it’ll help you.” He watched the grateful smile spread across her face and they rested their heads again. Stan found he couldn’t rest easily until he heard her calm and even breathing, signaling that she’d fallen asleep._

Stan sighed heavily. He could’ve told her how he felt right there, but he hadn’t been sure at that particular moment. He rolled and looked at the teddy bear. He no longer cuddled it like he did when he’d been given it. Ivy had slept with it every night she’d been there. It still had that woodland smell she carried. He didn’t want to risk losing that. He’d started to cry again, and he became angry with himself. He didn’t want to feel like this. There was a light knock at his door, and Ford poked his head in. “Lee, you okay?” Stan looked away, sighing. “No. I miss her.” His brother sighed and came in, sitting on the edge of his bed. “I can’t force you to be happy. I can’t force you to move on. I can only say that I’m sorry this all happened. I feel responsible, because I brought him here to begin with.” Stan instantly sat up and hugged his brother, causing Ford a bit of surprise. “It isn’t your fault. You didn’t know what would happen, how could you? He tricked you and manipulated you, and… don’t feel bad. I don’t blame you.” Ford sighed and hugged his brother, feeling tears well up. “I love you, you know.” Stan snuggled into Ford’s chest, holding back sobs. “I love you too.”

“ _Okay, so if we’ll both be happy in the end, then how will that work? My deals always leave me benefiting and the other person not.” Bill had sat in silence with Laiqualassiel for a while, trying to think over what might possibly cause both to benefit. “My lord, please. I’ve never really doubted you. So why should you do the same with me?”  She held a calm and sweet smile. “I’ve known you since my first incarnation, when the Elvin empire in Gravity Falls was founded. I knew ever since that deal that you and I would eventually come to succeed. Although, for my part, I had to pretend to not follow you.” The look of surprise on Bill’s face was priceless. “You didn’t really think, after all of the fame you gave me in each incarnation, that I’d really stopped worshiping you, did you?” Bill became flustered and sighed, giving an almost proud look to her smug face. “You’ve always been a peculiar one, my poison ivy. That’s why I always gave you chances.” Laiqualassiel took in the flattery and giggled. But she soon cleared her throat._

“ _As you’ve probably guessed, the one that I have chosen is Stanley Pines.” Bill laughed heartily. “Took you long enough to find him. I’ve been placing his soul near yours since the beginning.” Laiqualassiel rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m only now noticing that. But here’s the thing. He’s alive and I’m dead. And he’s hurting.” Bill pondered for a moment before responding. “Yes. He would be hurting. You see, I grew tired of doing the exact same thing every time, what with both of you dying together. So I thought…. why not let the human suffer a bit? Oh, and subsequently, you’re probably feeling pain as well.” Laiqualassiel took a deep breath. “Bill, this isn’t fucking funny. You are going to fix this. Otherwise, I’m not holding my end of the bargain.” “Are you proposing a counter deal?” Bill eyed her curiously, and the amount of irritation on the child’s face was clear. “Yes. I know it won’t be easy, and that it will be mostly on Stan’s shoulders to help me. But if you can coax him to saving my life so I can actually live happily with him, in this life onward, I will make sure you live in that dimension as well.” Bill held his hand out to the astral child and smiled. “Good doing business with you.”_

Stan awoke in the morning to Ford still there, a blanket carefully draped around the two of them. They must have fallen asleep, and Fiddleford made them a bit more comfortable. He groggily pushed Ford away, falling to the floor in the process. Ford woke up to the sentiment, and saw his brother getting up off the ground. “Morning, Stanley. How are you feeling?” Stan just groaned, dragging himself down to the dining room, where Fiddleford was placing breakfast on the table. “Oh, boys, good morning. I just got the call from Dipper and Mabel. They’ll be here for Christmas. We should be expecting them next week.” At the mention of his niblings, Stan seemed to perk up a bit. He sat at the table and began to eat the pancakes that Fiddleford had made. After he scarfed down his food, hungrier than he’d realized, he got up and stretched. “I’m going on a walk. I’ll be back later.” He rushed out the door with Ford and Fiddleford waving him off. “I think he’s feeling better, Fidds.” This elicited a chuckle and a playful shove.

Stan was just going through the woods, his mind clear of negative thoughts. Until he approached the caverns. He heard something. A voice. He thought it was his imagination, and went to move on, but he heard it again. _“Stanley….!”_ A strange fear settled over him as he recognized that voice. It was Ivy’s. Reluctantly, he walked into the cave. Memories flowed through him, reminding him of the dangers here. He came to the worship room eventually, and was surprised to find a faint glow. On top of the talisman rested Ivy’s clasp, radiating light. _“Stanley, help me….!”_


	2. Ressurection

“That’s. Impossible.” Stan had brought the clasp to his brother, who was closely inspecting it in the lab. Fiddleford was trying to quell Stan’s mild anxiety, holding him. “Stanford, what’s going on…?” Ford went to put the golden hunk into a machine to analyze it further, only to jump when a loud scream came from it. Stan instantly jumped from Fiddleford’s arms and went over to the clasp as it clanked against the floor. “It’s okay, Ivy…” He gently picked it up, as if it was made of the most delicate crystal. Ford just eyed the clasp as it began to glow slightly. “I don’t understand. There is literally no way that it should be here.” Stanley looked at it, wondering. “I did find it right on top of the talisman. Maybe it has something to do with a weak spot in time and space?” Ford took a moment to think, and sighed. “Stanley. I’ve seen some crazy and unexplained things in my studies… but nothing quite like this. There is no way. None. That her clasp could have fallen out of Bill’s dimension into this one. I wouldn’t trust it, if I were you.” Stanley looked down at the clasp sadly, hearing a small whisper that was inaudible to his family.

“She says that you just don’t want to help me because you don’t like or trust her,” he blurted, looking up at his brother with a glare. Ford just scoffed and glared right back. “Stanley, you know that’s not-” “She says that if you really cared about me, you’d just help me.” Stanley’s words cut Ford off, and he looked torn. “Stanley, I can’t help you. She is gone. Nothing in my knowledge can bring her back.” Stan sighed and began to walk to the elevator, and despite Fiddleford trying to stop Ford from saying something hurtful, his words stopped the boy in his tracks. “Just let go. There’s no point in clinging on so hard.” Stanley choked back a few tears and ran, ignoring Fiddleford’s call. “Stanley!! Come back!” He was gone before he could chase after, and Fidds just groaned. “Ford, that big mouth of yours is going to cause serious problems one day.” Ford sighed and just slumped into his chair. “I know. I just hope he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Stanley ran out into the woods until his legs couldn’t hold him and his lungs burned. He fell to his knees in an unknown clearing and looked at the now dull and silent clasp. “Ivy… come on. I need you. Talk to me, buddy…” Silence. He sighed and just clipped the accessory to his clothing. The clearing he was in was unfamiliar, and it took him a moment to realize he was lost. He stood, fighting the fatigue he felt. Grabbing a large stick, he started to use it to help him walk. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew he was scared. The trees were thicker in this part of the forest, and therefore it was dark. Once again, the glow came from the clasp. _“Stanley…”_ He stopped and fell to the ground, taking off the clasp and looking at it. “Ivy… Ivy, I want to help you… but what do I do?” He realized he had tears falling down his cheeks. Suddenly, this area of the forest began to feel familiar. He didn’t know how. He’d never been in this part before. _“Stanley…”_ A loud ringing began. He screwed his eyes tightly closed, dropping the clasp and pressing his hands to his ears. The sound wouldn’t stop, and he felt like he was falling into madness. Then it went silent.

Stan opened his eyes to see the forest in a bit of a blue hue, and the clasp floating. A figure began to form around it, and a misty silhouette of Ivy was standing in front of him. She started to lead him out of the woods and back to the shack. He stopped, not wanting to go back in. _“Ford’s lying to you. He knows a resurrection spell.”_ He looked to the figure beside him, searching her eyes for truth. _“It should be in the copies of the journals you have. The second one if I remember correctly.”_ With that, her spirit receded back into the clasp, and Stanley took hold of it, catching it as it fell.

“ _A resurrection spell?!” Laiqualassiel shouted at Bill, who was watching his handiwork from a mirror pool. Bill turned to her, seeing her flabbergasted expression. “What? It’s a legitimate method.” She just sighed hard, looking away. “Yeah, but it could also open up doors for something worse to come through!!” Bill took a defensive stance, laughing. “Hey, calm down poison ivy. You’re the one who wants me to get him to bring you back. It was hard enough getting your clasp back into that dimension.” Laiqualassiel just sighed again, floating there and crossing her legs. “I also don’t like that you have to use your powers to impersonate me like this.” Bill just scoffed. “Ivy, come on. Spiritual entities like us can’t leave this dimension without a weak enough tear. You couldn’t go with the object you were bound to. I know it’s making you weak and sick, but just hold on… you’ll feel better soon.” She gave him a tired stare, sighing. “I know… you’re doing your best, and I appreciate it, Bill. I’ll have to make this worthwhile to you after I get there.”  Bill just chuckled, pulling her into a one armed hug, causing her to flinch slightly._

Stan had to get the book from where Ford had put it. It would be easier if his brother wasn’t standing right in front of the book shelf it was resting in. “I just have really bad vibes going on everywhere right now, Fidds. I don’t know. The whole situation seems off.” Ford looked genuinely scared, and Fiddleford was trying to calm him. “Ford, it’ll be okay. Remember what we talked about? He needs us to understand.” Ford turned, sighing. “Yeah, but what if he goes looking for a way to bring her back?” He took the copy of the second journal from the shelf, turning to a specific page. “I don’t know what I’d do with myself if he got hurt trying to bring her back. Bringing back the dead can bring about dire consequences.” Fiddleford took the book and put it back up, taking Ford’s hands. “Stanford, it’s going to be okay. When he comes back, we’ll just have to sit down and talk about this.” Ford sighed, nodding solemnly in agreement. He and Fiddleford went back to the bedroom, giving Stan the chance to get the book. He climbed the shelves, just able to grab the bottom of the journal, and carefully went back to the ground. He silently retreated to his room, looking for the page he wanted.

There was plenty of black magic in the book, and he kept looking until he found a resurrection spell. “I’ll bring you back, Ivy…. I promise.” He looked over the items needed, noting that he’d need the person’s remains. He silently walked downstairs, looking up to the urn resting on the mantle. They’d put her vaporized remains into that. It was a bit too high for him to reach without assistance. Carefully, he pulled a chair over, standing on it to grab the urn. “Stanley, what are you doing?!” The sudden sound of Ford’s voice caused Stan to lose his balance, falling off the chair and dropping the urn. Ford caught him while Fiddleford caught the urn. “Stanley, what were you thinking?!” “I-I… I…”Stan stuttered, his grip on the journal tightening. Tears were welling in his eyes, and he pushed Ford away. “You lied! You said there was absolutely no way to bring her back! Well, there is! And I’m going to do it!” Ford tried to stop his brother as the boy ran and punched Fiddleford in the shin, catching the urn as he dropped it. He grabbed a bag and carefully set the book and urn inside, running out the door. Fiddleford looked after in worry rubbing his shin. He looked to Ford’s face, who was seemingly panicked. “Oh god, he’s going to get himself killed.” Fiddleford’s face became even more contorted with worry as Ford ran after his brother. He followed after a split second of confusion.

Stan ran toward town, looking at the book further. He’d need something to make a pentagram, as well as a candle. _“Chalk is a decent substance to use. That’s what the village elder would use in her spells.”_ Stan smiled at Ivy’s voice, his moment of tenderness interrupted by the sound Ford’s car. “Stanley Filbrick Pines!!!” Hearing his name called with such anger scared him, and he ran faster, turning into a narrow alley. He ran into the general store, quickly gathering what he’d need. He set the chalk and candle on the counter, digging in his pocket for the money. “Keep the change!” he yelped as he grabbed his things and ran out the door. He stopped dead as Ford pulled in front of him. Fiddleford stuck his head out the window, trying to be calm and understanding. “Stanley, please, get in the car, we can talk about this.” Stan stood like a deer in the headlights for a moment before bolting. “Oh- Come _on_.” Ford pulled out of the parking lot and drove in the direction Stanley had gone.

Stan was pushing himself, and was Running aimlessly. Ivy’s voice came again. _“The caverns. The other path leads to my people’s spiritual grounds. That’s where most spells are done.”_ Changing course, Stan began to head into the forest. There was a large hole in the ground where an underground passage must have caved in. He reached up and gripped the clasp, hoping it would give him some sort of hope. As he jumped, he felt as though he was floating, and felt arms around him. _“God, you’re heavy.”_ He rolled his eyes at Ivy’s remark, running into the caverns. He ran down into the unknown, ignoring the burning in his chest. He eventually slowed, the pure darkness scaring him. He stepped into a shallow stream suddenly, and looked around. There was a wall in front of him, and from the water’s source was dark. But there was a faint blue glow downstream.  He took a deep breath and followed the light.

The stream led to a beautiful room, walls adorned with various crystals. Luminescent plants provided a faint glow, refracted by the crystalline walls. The stream split and went around the sides of the cavern. At the top of the cavern was a small hole, letting in light. The sun was beginning to set, and the light was quickly leaving. He used what light he had to read the page again. Stepping into the dry center, he grabbed his chalk. Following the guide in the book, he carefully drew out a pentagram. He set the urn in the center and stepped back, shaking. He’d need to wait for the moonlight to begin seeping in. “It says that it should be done on a full moon to be safe. That the only real danger is doing it on the night of a new moon. I should be fine…” he assured himself.

Ford and Fiddleford had lost track of Stanley. All of his shortcuts had left them searching tirelessly. They turned to the woods as the sun fell below the horizon, calling his name. Ford wasn’t even mad anymore. He was just scared and worried. Anything can happen in the woods at night. Stanley could be killed, and they wouldn’t be able to save him. Fiddleford sensed his discomfort and walked over to him, hugging him tightly. “Stanford, we’ll find him… it’s going to be okay…” Ford nodded, continuing to search and call out for him. Below them, Stanley could hear their calls, and a serene calm filled him. He lit the candle and set it by the urn. The moon was just peeking through the hole in the ceiling, and unbeknownst to him, Ford and Fiddleford were close enough to hear him. He took a deep breath.

“ _For thou who sleeps in stone and clay, heed this call, rise up and obey, trek on through the Mortal door, assemble flesh and walk once more.”_ A strong breeze came from no possible location, and the candle went out. Everything was silent, and Stan became confused. He began to search through the notes, and swallowed hard. The pentagram began to glow and Stan let out a loud scream of terror. The second Ford heard Stan’s voice, he ran toward the entrance to the the caverns. He let his instincts take over as he ran down the corridors, finding the room that Stan stood in. He ran in and held his brother’s trembling form as they watched the black magic to its work. “Stanley, I’ll yell at you later! We need to leave, now!!” Stan gripped the journal tightly and hesitated, fear locking him in place. The whole cavern was shaking. Then the cavern began to cave in. Ford grabbed Stan and began to run, both screaming in pure terror as the ceiling fell behind them. They found Fiddleford traversing the tunnels, trying to follow Ford. Ford grabbed him as well, and the three ran, all screaming. Eventually, the cave in stopped, but the three bolted out of the cave, breathing heavy.

“Stanley, what were you _thinking_?! You could have been killed!” Stan looked around, stuttering and mumbling, eyes brimming with tears. Fiddleford gently placed a hand on Ford’s chest, walking over and kneeling down to a now bawling Stan as Ford backed away. “Stanley, you had us scared and worried… we were afraid something bad had happened to you.” Stan just hugged them both, his adrenaline high faded. He was sobbing hard and was unable to form a coherent response. The family just sat there, holding each other, until a voice came from the direction of the cavern entrance. “Stanley…”

“ _Oh, god, he’s going to do it,” Laiqualassiel stated, looking into the mirror pool beside Bill. “Yeah, he is. And he went against his brother for you. He must really love you.” She swallowed hard, her astral hand touching the water’s surface. “I’m here for you, Stanley… you can do it.” She watched as he read the spell aloud, and took a step back as a sharp pain went through her spiritual form. Bill gave her a happy look. “Just remember. You owe me.” She let out an ear splitting scream as her soul was pulled between dimensions. With a bright flash of light, Bill was alone._  
Ivy found herself laying on top of a pile of rubble. This must have been where the cave in happened. “The village elder isn’t going to like that.” She looked to see the shattered urn, having been pushed down the tunnels by the falling ceiling. She stood, wincing, before walking through the caves she knew so well.


	3. Consequence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, guys, a lot of this is a massive flashback. Be warned.

Ivy watched from the opening of the caverns in despair as an impostor in her body ran up to Stanley and hugged him tightly. Stan, shocked and happy, hugged back, laughing. A raw anger began to course through her soul. Something was in her body, using it. And she could sense it wasn’t good. It seemed to notice her, turning to glance quickly with a glare. The red gleam those eyes had gave her chills. She had to get that thing out before it hurt Stan.

“Ivy!! T-The spell worked!” Stan’s voice was shaking with emotion as he struggled to keep his composure. The entity turned its puppet’s head to look deeply into Stan’s eyes. “It only worked because you were brave enough to pull it off.” Ivy could see Stan’s intoxication almost instantly. He was put into some sort of trance. And nobody seemed to notice. Ford and Fiddleford seemed to accept this ending as a happy one, that they could all come together and stop hurting. This was further solidified by Fiddleford when he helped te childrern off the ground with a smile. “This is good, right? No need to feel sad anymore, we can just be one big happy family…” Ivy watched as they went home with the negative entity, leaving her by the caverns in dismay.

“Cipher, you best answer me! I swear on my mom!” She floated by the talisman, waiting for some sort of response. Bill’s weak voice rang out, concerning her slightly. “Listen, if you want me to help you with the demon possessing your empty vessel, I can’t. Literally all of my energy went to helping you get there.” Ivy growled at Bill’s disembodied voice, only for him to sigh. “Listen, the demon has him in a trance, as I’m guessing you’ve probably realized. If you can show him that it isn’t you in that body, then he’ll come out of it.” Every word seemed to drag, like it was costing him a lot of energy to even speak to her like this. “Okay, but then what?!” There was only silence, leaving Ivy’s lost spirit alone and vulnerable.

Fiddleford brought in food to the family that was huddled in front of the tv when Ivy got to the shack. She’d have to get Stan alone. She calmly came in and seated herself beside Stan. Maybe he’d be able to feel her real self? His eyes were glued to the movie playing as he placed his hand to his side, resting it on what he believed was Ivy’s. He glanced to her, blushing slightly, watching as she just glanced back and smiled before looking to the television again. Ivy felt a pure rage flow through her as she watched this succubus put on that emotional leash. There was no easy way to do this. She needed to make her presence known. Looking around, she went over to a bookshelf at the side of the room.

The four sat there watching a movie and eating when a book went flying off of the bookshelf, narrowly missing Stanley. They all looked to the source of the book. The atmosphere suddenly felt a bit dark, and nobody seemed to notice the look on the demon’s face as it stared Ivy down. Everybody was silent, and Ivy remained unseen by all but the succubus. “That isn’t your body. Leave it.” The demon only smirked before picking up the book and putting it away. “That was odd,” Ford commented, going over to the shelves. He was stopped by the demon, who just shook her head. “Something followed me back from the other side. It’s not happy. I would suggest you all go to bed. I’ll deal with this.” They all exchanged nervous glances before she shooed them away. “You really are an annoying little wench, aren’t you?” The succubus turned to face Ivy, smirking. “He’s my toy now. You’ve no business trying to stop me.” Ivy watched helplessly as the demon turned and went back upstairs.

Ivy floated up into the bedroom some time later to find Stan sound asleep in his bed on the floor. She sighed, kneeling beside him and whispering tenderly. “Stanley, I’m so sorry… I didn’t want you to relive everything like I have to every single time…” She placed a hand over his forehead, closing her eyes.

_Stan awoke outside, hearing nothing but the forest. The trees towered over him, and he could see the starry sky through the canopy. “Where… am I?” he asked into the void. He stood and shivered, the cold seeping into his skin. The are felt very familiar. But he couldn’t quite place it. An arrow flew by him and he turned to see Ivy standing there, looking more fierce than ever. She slowly notched another arrow and began to circle him. It was at this moment that he noticed the flames in the distance. Trying to see Ivy more detailed, he squinted in the darkness. She looked like she was covered in blood, and she seemed younger than what he knew. Her native language came from her mouth, and though he didn’t understand much of it, he could get the feeling that he wasn’t wanted here. Stan took a step back, beginning to shake harder. “I-Ivy, it’s me…. it’s Stanley….” He dodged another arrow, seeing the tears in her eyes. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was familiar. She then said something that he could understand. She was apologizing. “There’s no need to be sorry….” he said. He gets the feeling he’d said this before. And the next words he said, he didn’t quite understand. “You’re only doing what you have to. Don’t apologize.” What was going on? She broke down into tears and fell to her knees, causing Stanley to run over. He held her close, and watched in horror as two groups of people busted from the underbrush. One a small battalion of Elves, one a group of natives. He could see a young boy bearing a strong likeness to Stanford in the group staring at him, a mixture of disappointment, sadness, and anger in his eyes. There was a pang in his heart as he felt a familiar sense of fear and aching, when Ford had turned his back on him. Looking down at himself, he realized he wasn’t himself, but that tan skin and wearing a similar ensemble to the boy staring him down._

_A chilling blast washed over him, and he found himself alone in the same spot, albeit caught in a blizzard. He was wearing heavy winter native clothing, and as he looked about, he felt a sense of urgency. He heard another boy’s voice behind him, and even though he knew he didn’t speak the language, he fully understood the words. “Brother, this is insane! Come home this instant!” He turned to face the source of the voice, seeing the same boy from before. His response was involuntary. “I need to find her. She won’t survive in this weather.” “Why do you care?!” the other boy shouted, looking like he was about to bust into tears. “After all she’s done to our family, our friends… why do you still chase after her? Why do you put her over me? We’re twins!” Stan found himself silent for a moment before he turned away. “Because… I love her. And love will drive a man insane.” He walked away, ignoring his brother’s calls. Deep within the forest, he found Ivy under a tree, crying and bleeding from the leg. He walked up to her silently, taking off the bag he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He began to treat her wounds, and looked to her. She forced away her tears and looked away, seemingly ashamed. “I’m sorry, love.” Stan just chuckled. He didn’t know why, but he felt that was the appropriate reaction. “Why are you laughing?” He finished up the bandaging and pulled her under his coat. “Because… none of it is your fault… it’s okay. I’m here now.” He closed his eyes as she sunk into his embrace._

_He let himself go numb, and then opened his eyes again at screams. The orange skies and bubbles of weirdmageddon were plaguing the area. He ran through the forest, taking note of how undeveloped the area was. He raced into a clearing, watching as natives ducked into their shelters to escape the strangeness. He saw his brother again, helping the more elderly members. He noticed Stanley and scowled. “I’m guessing you’re going after the elf again.” Once again, his response was involuntary, like he was watching through the eyes of someone else. “Of course! Laiqualassiel is in danger! It all started at her place of worship!” the boy huffed, turning to him. “Fine! Go! But don’t expect to be greeted well when you come home! I’m done covering for you!” Stan felt anger coursing through him as he bolted off. He found Ivy fighting off eyeball bats with her bow. “Laiqualassiel!” She shot another down and turned to her. She just ran to him and hugged him. He smiled and lightly pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Their tender moment was interrupted by Bill’s laughter. “Oh, isn’t that sweet? It’s time for you to pay up now, however.” Laiqualassiel shoved Stan aside, standing over him protectively. “Cipher, this wasn’t part of the deal! You never said anything of the end of the world!” Bill let out another bout of laughter. “Oh, Laiqualassiel, you’re a riot. You think you can defy me…?” Stan moved to stop her, but she kept him to the ground, pure determination in her eyes. “I know I can.” Stan covered his eyes as a bright flash overtook them._

_There was an intense heat, and Stan started to cough as he looked over his surroundings. Ivy’s village was ablaze. “Stanley!!” He turned to find his brother, no longer a native incarnation and wearing ridiculous old style clothing. Stanford was running toward him and grabbed his arm. “Stanley, let’s go!” He yanked his arm away and gave an offended glare. “No! Ivy is here! She was helping evacuate! She needs me!” Ford growled and grabbed his arm harder. “That witch singlehandedly killed our whole family, Stanley! She was probably the one who started this fir-!” “YOU’RE WRONG!” Stanley pulled away and stepped back. “She had no idea what would happen with the spell she used. She made a mistake! Everybody does that. Not that the great Stanford understands the definition of the word mistake. He never makes them, no.” Ford opened his mouth to argue further, but Stan turned away. “She came here because she saw the flames. She was coming to help her friends and family.” He began to look frantically for her. He heard her cries for help and ran into a burning building. She was trapped beside a still form, crying. “Ivy, what happened?!” Stan shouted over the roar of the flames. “I was coming to help my mother! I-I was too late! and now I’m trapped! Stanley, help me!!” Stan jumped the beam that had fallen and created the wall of flames with minimal scorching. He helped her stand and began helping her over. He got to the doorway to see his brother waiting outside. He smiled and began to run to him. Then the unmistakable groan of weak supports was heard. When he and Ivy looked up, all they saw was the ceiling collapsing._

Stan clenched his eyes shut, expecting to die right there. But it was silent. He opened his eyes to find himself in his room, Ivy sleeping soundly in his bed. There was an overwhelming feeling that something wasn’t right. Something was off. “Ivy… hey, can we talk?” She sat up, seemingly awake the whole time, and looked at him. That’s when he noticed it. The normal sky blue to her eyes was replaced with a blood red. “Yes, Stanley, what is it?” That wasn’t Ivy, and he knew it. He was silent for a moment before running out of the room. He could hear the demonic screech of whatever was in Ivy’s body behind him, chasing after him. He busted into his Stanford and Fiddleford’s room, slamming the door shut and diving between them. Ford’s immediate reaction was to brandish a weapon from the side of the bed, looking Stan over. “Lee, what’s wrong?!” Fiddleford held Stan’s crying form, trying to calm him and get him to speak coherent sentences. Stan looked up at them and just whispered, “That’s not Ivy.” There was a moment of confusion before Ford instructed them to stay silent. He quietly went up to the door, cracking it open to peek into the hall. He just saw Ivy standing at the edge of the shadows, facing away. “I-Ivy?” The head snapped 180 degrees, eyes glowing red, and screeching before jumping. Ford let out a scream before slamming the door closed and barricading it. “Definitely not Ivy. Seems like something got to her body before she did.”

The sound of Ivy’s body slamming against the door caused all three of them to jump, and Ford crawled back into the bed, holding Fiddleford and Stanley close. Stan cowered into his family, causing Ford to feel an intense anger. Nobody threatened them like this. Eventually, the slamming died down. “I need to get the journals. I have a way to undo this.” He stood and walked toward the door, feeling a hand grab his wrist. He looked to see Fiddleford’s trembling form. “Please… be careful…” Ford leaned in and placed a gentle kiss to both of their foreheads. “I’ll be careful. You two just sit tight.” He reached for the door knob, sighing. This was insane. Carefully opening the door, he peeked around to make sure she wasn’t in direct sight. Grabbing the journals from the bookshelf, he turned to duck back into the room, only to see Ivy standing right behind him with a calm smile.

Stan and Fiddleford were sitting in silence before they heard Ford’s scream. Fidds instantly jumped up and ran to the door, throwing it open to find claw marks in the floor boards and the journals just sitting on the ground. His brain was unable to comprehend any of this, but when Stan stepped out to see, he saw the scene and fear chilled him to his very core. He picked up the second journal and turned right to the page after the resurrection spell. “Fiddleford, do you trust me?” Fiddleford snapped out of his panic and looked down to him before letting out a small noise of agreement. “We can save him. But I need to act as bait.”


	4. Exorcism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, this chapter has some subject matter that might be sensitive to some readers. It includes an exorcism, as well as mild gore. I bring up the exorcism, because it’s used in this case in a completely non-religious manner. Okay, I’m done, have fun reading.

Stan and Fiddleford stepped back from their handiwork, the child skimming through the page of the book that they referenced. “I’m glad my brother has info on this. Although, that begs the question of how he ended up with it.” Fiddleford looked down at Stan, then back to the devil’s trap they’d painted on the floor of the store. The southerner was handed the journal as Stan drew in a deep breath. “Fidds, you’re better at reading Latin. You go ahead and do this.” Fiddleford swallowed hard. What if he messed it up? What if he stumbled in his words? Stan seemed to sense his discomfort and sighed, hugging him. “We’re all going to be okay, alright? Just stay here and wait for me. I’m going to lure that thing into the trap, it’ll be stuck, and then you can read the incantation and banish it!” Stan seemed more like he was trying to convince himself at this point. Fiddleford gave a solemn smile, watching as Stan walked toward the extra room that had been opened up.

As Stan approached the door, he could feel a very dark force welling from behind it, as well as the unnaturally muffled cries of his brother. Summoning up every ounce of courage, he took hold of the door knob and slowly opened the door. Oh, how he wished he hadn’t. He wasn’t expecting to see Ford hanging on the wall, bleeding gashes covering him, and eyes glossed over in pain. His mouth was stitched shut, keeping him from screaming too loudly. The possessed Ivy stood in the center of the room, flecked with Ford’s blood and smiling at her work. The demon turned and looked at Stan. “I thought you’d need a little persuasion to come in here.” Stan began trembling with a mixture of fear, sadness, and rage. “How… dare you…” His tears fell to the ground as a foreign rage, an intensity he’d never felt before, burned within him. “How… _DARE YOU_?!” The demon chuckled, no longer even attempting to sound like Ivy. “Oh, Stanley… I should be asking you the same thing.” Stan stepped back as she took a step toward him. “You read all the warnings on the page. Your brother tried to warn you himself. And yet you insisted on bringing back the dead, as if mortality is some sort of toy. Another loophole for you to exploit.” She stepped forward again, eyes glowing red. “Ivy thinks I’m a succubus. I can tell you that I am much, _much_ scarier than one of those lowly she devils.”

Stan forced away the scared expression he’d been holding, and stepped toward her. Stan watched as Ford began to shake his head vigorously, trying desperately to get him to not do it. “Yeah? Prove it.” A light giggle escaped Ivy’s lips before she dove at Stan, prompting a terrified yelp. He began to race trough the house, adrenaline being the only thing keeping him moving. He ran right through their demon trap, watching as the demon became stuck. Stan turned and laughed, seeing the demon unable to  leave the circle. “Now Fidds!!” Fiddleford stepped out, a look of triumph on his face. All he had to do was get through the incantation. Although, he hoped the trap would hold as it got more aggressive.

_“Regna terrae, cantata Deo, psallite Cernunnos, Regna terrae, cantata Dea psallite Aradia.”_

The demon turned on a dime, lunging at Fiddleford, only to hit the wall of the barrier that was up. This caused the man to jump a bit before gathering his composure and continuing.

_“C-Caeli Deus, Deus terrae, Humiliter majestati gloriae tuae supplicamus Ut ab omni infernalium spirituum potestate, Laqueo, and deceptione nequitia, Omnis fallaciae, libera nos, dominates.”_

The entity embodying Ivy’s body began to lose composure, becoming more wild and feral. It begins to claw at the barrier, making strong attempts at breaking it. Those blood red eyes began to glow, and the screams coming from the demon were unbearable. Fiddleford was struggling to go boldly forward.

_“E-Exorcizamus you omnis immundus spiritus Omnis satanica potestas, o-omnis incursio, Infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, Omnis and congregatio secta diabolica.”_

In trying to control his stuttering and stumbling, he was beginning to tremble. The demon broke through for a split second, nearly clawing the book out of Fiddleford’s hand. He had to do this to protect everybody. His family… he had to keep Ford and Stan in mind.

_“Ab insidiis diaboli, l-libera nos, dominates, Ut coven tuam s-secura t-tibi libertate servire facias, Te rogamus, a-audi nos!”_

Stan noticed Fiddleford becoming increasingly more fearful and upset, and saw the demon take another  slash at the barrier, almost breaking out again. “Fidds, Ford is in that room, bleeding and hurt because of this thing! If we don’t hurry this up, he might die!!” Fiddleford seemed to come to realization instantly, and as the demon broke its restraints, he kicked it back into the circle and continued to read with a strong determination.

_“Ut inimicos sanctae circulae humiliare digneris, Te rogamus, audi nos! Terribilis Deus Sanctuario suo, Cernunnos ipse truderit virtutem plebi Suae, Aradia ipse fortitudinem plebi Suae. Benedictus Deus, Gloria Patri, Benedictus Dea, Matri gloria!”_

With each word, the demon began to become more and more aggravated, its screams becoming deafening. Fiddleford didn’t stop until the incantation was done, refusing to be afraid. Ivy’s body fell to the floor in a heap, and Fiddleford instantly dropped the book and ran to Ford. Stan rushed to Ivy’s side, holding her close and watching as those bright blue eyes slowly fluttered open. “S-Stan…” He smiled, holding her close. “Ivy, oh thank god you’re okay.” She weakly hugged back, laughing. “Oh my GOD!”

Stan helped Ivy to the room where Fiddleford’s cry came from to see him taking Ford from the wall. Stan ran and grabbed the medical kit, bringing it to Fiddleford. “Thank you, Stanley. He’s probably going to use up our supply. Let’s let him speak, first off.” He snipped the threads closing Ford’s mouth, prompting a sigh. “I’m in a lot of fucking pain, Fidds. A lot.” Fiddleford shook his head as he treated his lover’s wounds, a distraught and pained look on his face. “Stanford, you poor baby… look what that thing did to you.” Ivy looked down at her hands, noting that was probably his blood on them, and looked ashamed. Ford, seeing her disturbed expression, smiled slightly. “Ivy… it’s fine. I… I don’t blame you.” Stan sighed, leading Ivy out of the room with a quiet “Let’s get you cleaned up and let Fidds work.” Fiddleford treated Ford’s wounds in silence. Ford looked away, embarrassed. “Fidds, I-” “No.” Fiddleford stopped and sighed, looking so tired. “Don’t apologize. I know you said you’d be careful, but don’t apologize. Please, just don’t apologize. It’s not your fault.” He finished treating Ford’s injuries, helping him stand and walking him to the room. “You’re going to lay down and rest, okay? I want those healed as quickly as possible. You’ll be okay.”

Stan watched from his bedroom door as Fiddleford helped his brother, and sighed heavily. He was an idiot for just blindly rushing into things. Ivy sat on his bed, looking down. He walked over and sat beside her, placing a hand on hers. “We need to talk. I know you caused that dream earlier. And I want to know what it means.” She looked up at him and shook her head. “I’ve already risked enough showing you all of that. I promise, it will all make sense in time. But I can’t tell you what it’s all about.” That wasn’t good enough for him, and he stood. “Ivy, you need to be honest with me.” She shook her head again and stood. “I can’t, Stanley. I… I need to go.” She took her clasp, pinning her cloak into place. “I’m sorry, Stan, I really am.” He tried to stop her as she ran out of the room and out of the shack. He chased her to the front door, only to find she’d disappeared into the night forest. His breathing was heavy, and tears filled his eyes  as he felt Fiddleford’s hand on his shoulder. “Stanley, it’s all okay.” Stan shook his head and hugged Fiddleford, sobbing into him.

Laiqualassiel sprinted through the forest, panting and fearful. She darted into the tunnels, running into the chamber of worship. She stopped, looking at the talisman. “Remember where you stand with me, demon. It’s time.” The sound of that delicate stone shattering rang through the caves, and Stan felt a sudden feeling of dread take over.


	5. Conclusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really struggled with the direction I wanted to take with this one. So I took a humorous and cute approach. Good to finally have this finished. I’m not super proud, it’s not my favourite installment at all. But it’s good enough.

_During the little sleep that Stanley got throughout the night, he was constantly bombarded by snippets of past lives, memories he knew he shouldn’t have. He awoke into his current dream, thinking he’d be meeting Ivy yet again. But that wasn’t the case. He was floating in her village, watching a rather young Ivy hug a man. “Now, sweetheart, I know it’s your birthday, but I need to go on patrol with the village elder,” the man said with  a small smile, “But I promise to make it up to you when I get home.” Ivy seemed visibly upset, looking to the ground in an attempt to hide her eyes. The man lifted her chin, still carrying that somewhat sad smile. “Why don’t you go say hello to your mother? I know you do every year.” Ivy nodded and hugged him again, blinking out a few tears. “Be safe, Daddy.” “I will, pumpkin.”_

_Stan followed her inside to a small shrine that held a clay container. She knelt in front of the placement and pointed at a couple of candles and an incense, fire sparking from the tip of her finger to light them. Admittedly, it was a bit more than she probably intended. He watched as she scooted closer, looking at the clay pot in the center. Stan finally put together was that her mother’s ashes. Ivy began to speak, telling her mother’s spirit things like how she was seven now, and how much she loved her. “I don’t have to train today because the elder and Daddy are on patrol. Not that it would make much difference anyway. Yesterday’s session was a disaster. I nearly lit the elder on fire, and she told me that I wasn’t fit to follow in her footsteps. That my magic is an accident waiting to happen.” Stan got a bit closer to listen, sitting beside her. Her face looked so distraught. “Sometimes I wonder if being a shaman is really my purpose. Sure, I was born with a mark of Lord Cipher, but I seem better at destroying things than I am healing. It doesn’t help that this particular mark has never been seen before me.” She moved her hand to her shoulder, where Stan could see the corner of a triangle poking out from under her tunic. “I don’t feel like I belong. I wish you were here. I wish I’d gotten to know you…”_

_Stan wanted to reach out and hug this child. This was a side to Ivy he’d never seen. She looked so vulnerable and weak. But as he was reaching out for her, everything shifted. He was outside, still sitting next to Ivy. The sun had just dipped below the horizon, painting the sky hues of purple and orange. She stared out into the forest, worry washing over her. Suddenly, a very old Elf burst from the trees, and Ivy ran over. “What happened? Where’s Daddy?” The old woman composed herself and placed a hand on Ivy’s shoulder. “Laiqualassiel… I’m sorry, but your father’s gone.” Ivy screamed in denial, running toward where the village elder had come from. She ignored the cries for her to stop, running through the near pitch black forest. Stan flew after her, wanting to know if she’d be alright. Eventually, she stopped dead, still ahead of Stan. He slowly went up and saw why. In the distance, what he knew as a gremoblin had taken her father for dinner. He looked to Ivy to see her face stained with tears before she turned and slowly went home in shock._

Stan woke to Fiddleford shaking him. “Stanley, I’ve been trying to wake you up for the past ten minutes.” He blinked away his dream and stood, legs wobbly from an uneasy sleep. He was still exhausted. Fiddleford sighed and smiled. “Listen, little guy, breakfast is on the table. I already brought breakfast to your brother. He seems to already want to get up and run around again.” Stan muttered his thanks and went to eat, dark thoughts and strong emotions plaguing his mind. The events of the previous night and the dreams he’d been having were bothering him.

He’d gotten about halfway through his french toast before there was a rapid pounding on the door. Fiddleford’s voice proceeded to come down the stairs. “Stanley, could you get that? Ford popped a few stitches trying to get out of bed!” Stan groaned and walked to the door, throwing it open to reveal Ivy, who ran in and immediately slammed it shut, barricading it. “Ivy, you’re back! What’s going on?” His question caused her to whip around and face him, true terror in her eyes. “I messed up, Stanley. I messed up real bad, and I’m begging you to forgive me for anything that might happen here shortly.” The statement caused Stan to become more skeptical as he slowly backed away. “Ivy. What’s going on?” His tone became more serious, and he gained a hardened expression, hiding the mild fear that was creeping through him. At that expression, Ivy froze, swallowing hard. “Stan… I let Bill back through to this world.”

“You _what_?” Stan’s disbelief was both audible and visible. “ Why would you do that?!” Ivy laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. “There may have been some white lies told here and there…” She immediately noticed the angry look on Stan’s face, and shrunk. “Listen, I know what this looks like, and I know what it sounds like, but you need to trust me-” “Get out.” Stan’s voice was hard and cold as he moved the partial barricade and opened the door. Ivy stuttered as she tried to explain herself, only to be cut off again. “Get. Out. I don’t care what you have to say. You lied to me, and you’ve put my family in danger. I’m not going to be a pawn in Bill’s sadistic chess game.” Ivy wrenched the door out of Stan’s grasp, slamming it shut again. She held it like that, looking dead into his eyes. “Can I at least explain myself? I’m sure when you hear the whole story, you’ll understand.” Stan held his hurt and angry expression, silent. And Ivy understood what he meant by it. “Fine. But just know one thing. Everything I do, I do for you.” She silently left the shack, ad Stan instantly ran upstairs.

Fiddleford finished reapplying Ford’s bandages, frustration evident on his face. “Stanford Filbrick Pines, if I catch you doing something like that again, I-” Ford waved him off, scoffing. “Fidds, you worry too much. But just to make you feel better, I’ll stay bed ridden for as long as you need me to.” Their tender moment was interrupting be Stan walking into the room, a look of pure anger sitting on his face. This honestly startled both men, as the boy looked ready to kill. “Ford, I should have trusted your judgment. You were right about Ivy from the start.” Ford and Fiddleford shared a confused glance to one another. “Lee, what are you-” “She let Bill back through!!” Everybody was at a loss for words, and Stan was on the verge of tears. “I’m so stupid… I honestly believed she was a good person.”

Fiddleford was honestly confused. She didn’t seem like the type to just double back like this. And even though Bill is supposedly in this dimension again, the sky is still bright blue and everything is normal. He looks out the window, and before he can say anything, there’s a large explosion from deep within the woods. It shakes the ground and Fiddleford loses his balance, holding onto the headboard of the bed for support. “Stanley, help your brother into the basement. I’m going to investigate.” He left the shack without waiting for a response, throwing his coat on as he ran out the front door.

Aside from the billowing pillar of smoke in the distance, everything seemed normal. Fiddleford took a deep breath before forcing himself to walk toward the blast site. He wasn’t expecting to hear Ivy’s prolonged scream as she came flying out of the brush and slammed into him. She sat up wincing, inspecting the burns that she carried, before locking eyes with Fiddleford. “I’m guessing he told you.” Fiddleford looked back with a blank expression, blinking. “I’m guessing there’s a lot more to this than what he thinks.” His suspicions are confirmed with a slight nod, and the two stand. “So, Ivy, tell me. What is going on?” “Finally, somebody who will actually listen,” Ivy scoffed as they stood back to back, her eyes shifting every which direction, “I conned Bill into getting me back here, knowing he’d use all of his energy. He was meant to come through in a humanized state, which he did, but because of the demon malarkey we went through, I’d waited to long to free him. So instead of being a harmless little kid, he now is an angry child with magic throwing a temper tantrum because I tried to put him on a child leash.” Fiddleford just turned and looked at her with that explanation, knowing there was more to the story. Why would she bring him back in the first place? What was her problem? Ivy saw his confused expression and sighed. “Listen, when I can talk to Stanley again, I’ll reveal the whole truth. There were lots of things I lied about, because I had to, to protect all of you. Because if I didn’t lie, then things would just end horribly again. I won’t quit until I have a true happy ending.”

Their conversation was cut short by a blue fireball flying passed them, accompanied by Bill’s angry screeching. He jumped from the vegetation, breathing ragged and a murderous look in his eyes. Fiddleford looked genuinely scared, but Bill waved him off. “I don’t care about you, Fiddlestick. I’m here to put that lying, selfish, pointy eared bitch in her place.” Ivy just stood her ground before puling out the child leash she mentioned. “Now, Lord Cipher, you need to calm down. Your power is blinding you.” She took a step toward him, seemingly fearless. Bill threw another hasty fireball, but she tilted her head and dodged it. “I’m getting really tired of these games, My Lord. Just get over here.” Bill stood still for a second before jumping and climbing up a tree, screeching. “You can’t get me up here, you’re afraid of heights!” He laughed triumphantly as Fiddleford stared watching the two, utterly confused. Ivy let out a long groan. “That’s it.” She pulled out her bow and a small vial, coating the tip of her arrow before quickly firing and hitting Bill in the arm. He looked at it in shock before falling out of the tree, unconscious. Ivy simply strapped the harness onto him and breathed a sigh of relief. “Come on, you guys deserve an explanation for all of this.”

As Ivy confined Bill, Fiddleford went and got Stan and Ford from the basement. They reluctantly came up to find that Ivy had Bill tied into a chair. “Now, if he wakes up, all we’ll have to deal with is his incessant whining.” She made eye contact with Stan’s very hurt and upset expression before sighing. “Stan, I’m sorry. I lied about not worshiping Lord Cipher, and I lied about my purpose in the village. I wasn’t just trained for guarding the talisman, but my sole purpose is finding a way to let him live among mortals in peace. That’s my job.” She got confused and uneasy stares from all three of them, and she sighed. “Stanley, I’ve known from the start who you were. Let’s start from the beginning, and you’ll find out why I lied like I did.” Stan jest looked away, unsure of this situation. He didn’t know how to feel, if he could trust her word. Ivy looked to the ground, gaining the confidence to start speaking. “In my first life, I lost my parents. My mother died giving birth to me, and my father was killed by a monster while on patrol on my seventh birthday. Seeking guidance, I went to try and contact Lord Cipher…”

_Ivy stood in the main cavern, looking at the runes covering the walls. She knelt, grabbing hold of her clasp, and called out. “Lord Cipher, please. Please answer me. I have nobody left. Nobody but you.” There was only silence, which Ivy had grown accustomed to hearing. She was a walking natural disaster. All the kids made fun of her, the adults feared her… Her father was the only one that cared, and he was ripped away from her. “I guess you’ve abandoned me, too.” She stood to turn and leave, but as she got to the opening to the tunnel out, she heard a voice. “Laiqualassiel, I’d never abandon my children.” She turned to see the triangle and smiled. “You answered me…” The surprise in her voice caused Bill to laugh. “Of course I did. I mean, it’s not every day somebody is born with the mark of my personal warrior.” Ivy reached for her shoulder, blushing slightly. “What do you mean?” Bill floated over to her and touched the mark, causing the skin around it to feel a little hot. “You were born with the body, not the eye, my friend. You’re not meant to be a shaman, regardless of what those loons think. You’re destined for great things, my little poison Ivy.” Ivy smiled a bit but faltered. “What’s the point of having great accomplishments if I have literally not a single soul to share it with?” Bill sat lost in thought before an idea sprung to his head. “Listen, kid. If you do me a favor sometime down the line, I’ll find you somebody that will love you unconditionally, in this life and the next.” Ivy smiled and shook his hand, sealing the deal. “You have my word, My Lord.” “And you have mine.”_

“I was so desperate for affection that I didn’t think about the potential consequences. Although, it would be many incarnations before everything blows up in my face.” Fiddleford, seeing the unsure expressions on Ford and Stan’s faces, stepped forward. “Well, go on. What happened next?” Ivy cleared her throat and went back to her story. “Oh boy, did Lord Cipher deliver…”

 _Ivy spent the next few days wandering out in the woods. She was pretty much a prisoner at home, so she decided to take the archery lessons that her father had given her and take care of herself. But since she’d only had about a week’s worth of practice, she was a horrible shot. She’d tried to shoot down a bird, only to miss by a full foot and have the feathered creature fly off, dropping a gift on her head as it did so. “Really?! Come_ on _!” She throws her bow to the ground, sitting and pouting before hearing the obnoxious laughter of the other children coming to taunt her. “Wow, Lai, you can’t do anything right, can you?” “Careful, you’ll take your eye out with that thing.” “For being the daughter of the best archer in the village, you sure can’t aim.” “I blame her mother. That family breeds failures.” At that, Ivy curled into a ball and tried desperately to hold in her tears. Until an arrow went through the group, not hitting anybody. It wasn’t an arrow that the people in her village would graft. It was too colorful for that. Out of the brush jumped a native boy, speaking in a tongue that Ivy couldn’t understand. The other children, fearful of the unknown, ran. The boy came and helped her up, and she found herself at a loss for words, a slight blush dusting her cheeks. “T-Thank you.” The boy just smiled before another voice came from nearby. He nodded to Ivy and ran off, leaving her in a stunned silence._

“It was so surreal. This kid and I had probably the strongest language barrier imaginable, but day after day, we met in the same spot. He taught me how to hunt and cook, and sometimes he’d come see me in the night, and we’d just stare at the stars. We didn’t need words. We had each other.” Stan’s expression softened into a very slight smile. He remembered that. It was one of the dreams he’d had. He found this girl being harassed, and since he knew what it was like from his brother being in the same boat, he helped her. “Unfortunately, however… war broke out between my village and his.”

_Ivy ran through the forest, trying to escape the carnage. She’d been told she’d have to kill him. She didn’t want to! Why? Why do the worst possible things always happen to her? Because apparently, her village had been in conflict with his for a while? So when the village elder found her with him, she was taken to their leader to be scolded and given her punishment. This meant war, and she was to be the one to initiate. She refused, and now she was running to warn her dear friend that they were attacking. But the adults caught up to her. And she was given a verdict. Fight or die. When faced with the task of firing at somebody, she couldn’t. These weren’t her enemies. So somebody else took the first shot. All hell broke loose. They’d been expecting this, thanks to the boy warning them. She killed only to protect herself. Each arrow fired chipped away a piece of her soul. And the battle raged. As night fell, she ran from the chaos to find her friend alone. She didn’t want anybody else to get to him. His death would be slow and painful then. So she put on a brave face and notched an arrow, giving him a warning shot. He turned around and spoke, although she could not understand. She slowly notched another arrow, but couldn’t fire. She fell to her knees in defeat, crying. “I’m so sorry….” She felt arms around her, and for a moment, she felt safe. Even as their lives ended, she felt safe._

Ivy looked to the ground and sighed. “Stanley was that boy. And we met each other countless times. He was there for the first instance of weirdmaggedon. Bill had tricked me. He had me let him through. And  I had no idea it was to ruin countless lives. He played me like a fiddle.” She looked away and sighed. “I died to banish him. And I was considered a hero. Whenever a child was born with my mark, they were to be trained to one day maybe find a way to let Lord Cipher live among us as an equal.” She looked to Bill, who was awake. “I’d be clapping if I wasn’t tied to a chair. You impress me. I guess centuries of being reborn will spark that much intelligence.” She cast him an apologetic stare. “Lord Cipher, I’m sorry, but you were throwing a fit. I needed to assure you wouldn’t kill us all on contact.” She proceeded to untie him and he stood, shorter than Stan. He adjusted his hat and bow tie, sighing. “So, this is what happens when I enter your domain with little to no power. I’m a tiny skin puppet.” Ford let out a stifled laugh. “You look like an eight year old.”

Bill was about to jump, but Ivy brought her foot down on his. Hard. He let out a pained squeak, jumping back and holding his foot. “My Lord, cease this at once. I brought you here to make amends, not to jump on anybody’s throat.” The look Bill gave Ivy was one of pure disgust. But the one she gave back was a scolding parent’s. “ _Apologize. Now._ ” Bill bowed his head reluctantly. “Listen, I’m sorry I got all crazy with power, yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah, just get off my back, okay? My dimension was donion rings. I had to get out of there before it collapsed and consumed me. Excuse me if I got a bit desperate. I’m just a kid. Kids will make really big mistakes.” Everybody in the room just kind of sighed. Fiddleford looked tired. “So I guess he’s living with us now?” Ivy snorted. “No, he’s going to live in the village. There’s a building especially for him, and there are people there qualified to police him. Although, I’m considered dead, so I can’t go back. You guys are stuck with me.” Fiddleford sighed and grabbed Bill by the ear, causing him to whine in pain. “I’ll escort the power brat to the village. Y'all just make yourselves comfortable.” Ivy looked to Stan and Ford, a little timidly. “Stan, I know you’ll forgive me, I can see it in your eyes. But… Ford, you don’t hate me this time, right?” Ford was a little taken aback before Stan whispered into his ear about his behavior in past lives. “Laiqualassiel, I promise. As long as you keep Stanley happy, you’re okay in my books. Although, any stunts like this again, and we’ll be having a serious talk.” Ivy giggled and took Stan’s hands, smiling. Stan blushed and looked away. It was now or never.

“I love you.”

“I know.”


End file.
